The natural intervertebral disc contains a jelly-like nucleus pulposus surrounded by a fibrous annulus fibrosus. Under an axial load, the nucleus pulposus compresses and radially transfers that load to the annulus fibrosus. The laminated nature of the annulus fibrosus provides it with a high tensile strength and so allows it to expand radially in response to this transferred load.
In a healthy intervertebral disc, cells within the nucleus pulposus produce an extracellular matrix (ECM) containing a high percentage of proteoglycans. These proteoglycans contain sulfated functional groups that retain water, thereby providing the nucleus pulposus within its cushioning qualities. These nucleus pulposus cells may also secrete small amounts of cytokines such as interleukin-1β and TNF-α as well as matrix metalloproteinases (“MMPs”). These cytokines and MMPs help regulate the metabolism of the nucleus pulposus cells.
In some instances of disc degeneration disease (DDD), gradual degeneration of the intervetebral disc is caused by mechanical instabilities in other portions of the spine. In these instances, increased loads and pressures on the nucleus pulposus cause the cells within the disc (or invading macrophases) to emit larger than normal amounts of the above-mentioned cytokines. In other instances of DDD, genetic factors or apoptosis can also cause the cells within the nucleus pulposus to emit toxic amounts of these cytokines and MMPs. In some instances, the pumping action of the disc may malfunction (due to, for example, a decrease in the proteoglycan concentration within the nucleus pulposus), thereby retarding the flow of nutrients into the disc as well as the flow of waste products out of the disc. This reduced capacity to eliminate waste may result in the accumulation of high levels of toxins that may cause nerve irritation and pain.
As DDD progresses, toxic levels of the cytokines and MMPs present in the nucleus pulposus begin to degrade the extracellular matrix, in particular, the MMPs (as mediated by the cytokines) begin cleaving the water-retaining portions of the proteoglycans, thereby reducing its water-retaining capabilities. This degradation leads to a less flexible nucleus pulposus, and so changes the loading pattern within the disc, thereby possibly causing delamination of the annulus fibrosus. These changes cause more mechanical instability, thereby causing the cells to emit even more cytokines, thereby upregulating MMPs. As this destructive cascade continues and DDD further progresses, the disc begins to bulge (“a herniated disc”), and then ultimately ruptures, causing the nucleus pulposus to contact the spinal cord and produce pain.
One proposed method of managing these problems is to remove the problematic disc and replace it with a porous device that restores disc height and allows for bone growth therethrough for the fusion of the adjacent vertebrae. These devices are commonly called “fusion devices”, or “interbody fusion devices”.
Current spinal fusion procedures such as transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), and extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) procedures typically require an 18 mm minimum diameter tube to place an interbody fusion device. Reducing the size of this access portal would help to reduce incision size and muscle trauma due to the procedure. An interbody device that can be inserted through a port that is smaller than the device's final size would help to achieve the goal of reducing incision size, while maintaining proper disc height restoration and providing adequate anterior column support.
US Patent Publication No. 2004-0073213 (“Serhan”) is directed toward a device for distracting vertebrae and subsequently delivering a flowable material into the disc space. The distal portion of the device is adapted to distract the vertebrae and the device includes a port for distal delivery of a flowable material.
US Patent Publication No. 2001-0032020 (“Besselink”) discloses an expandable intervertebral cage that can accommodate a reinforcing element that itself expands to substantially fill the hollow central portion of the cage.
US Patent Publication No. 2003-0208203 (“Lim”) describes a purportedly minimally invasive, articulating insertion instrument for implants, wherein the articulating feature is used to minimize the implant's footprint such that the implant's footprint is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the instrument.
US Patent Publication No. 2004-0230309 (“DePuy Spine”) relates to an orthopaedic device for implantation between adjacent vertebrae, the device comprising an arcuate balloon and a hardenable material within the balloon. In some embodiments, the balloon has a footprint that substantially corresponds to a perimeter of a vertebral endplate. An inflatable device is inserted through a cannula into an intervertebral space and oriented so that, upon expansion, a natural angle between vertebrae will at least be partially restored. At least one material component selected from the group consisting of a load-bearing component and an osteobiologic component is directed into the inflatable device through fluid communication means.
US Patent Publication No. 2007-0149978 (“Shezifi”) relates to a device for distracting and supporting two substantially opposing tissue surfaces in a minimally invasive procedure. The device comprises a wrapping element and expandable structure insertable between the two substantially opposing support surfaces of the wrapping element and adapted to be expanded between the two substantially opposing surfaces to a predetermined dimension.
US Patent Publication No. 2007-0233254 (“Grotz”) is related to expanding spine cages that purportedly expand to conformably engage the endplates of vertebrae by hydraulic means.
Thus, there is a need for additional minimally invasive intervertebral distraction devices and techniques such as those hereinafter disclosed.